Indexing device



C. B. ULRICH.

INDEXING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 16. IQIB.

1 ,3 1 9,8 1 6. Patented 0m. 28, 1919.

35 Mm 6. M

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 28, 1919.

Application filed December 16, 1818. Serial No. 288,878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, (JHAnLns B. ULRICH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jamestown, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Indexing Devices, of which the following is a s eclfication.

y invention relates to an improved form of indexing device for use in filing cabinets, by means of which a name slip or other indexing legend may be securely held in desired osition in a file and y which the said si is clamped in positlon when in use by t he spring action of part of the de vice and readily removable when desired. The indexing slip when in use is protected from injury and the device may conveniently be employed as a guide tab in the file when so employed constitutes a reinforcing means for the edge of the guide card with which it may be employed.

y invention will best be understood by reference to the accom anying drawing showin a preferred embodiment thereof, in whic Figure 1 shows in perspective view a part of a guide card with the indexing device in place thereon,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the parts shown in Fig. 1 taken along the lines'2-2, and

Fig. 3 shows in a view similar to Fig. 2 the position of the parts to release the index slip, the parts in Fig. 2 being in the position assumed to clamp the slip securely 111 place when in use.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

As shown in the drawings the guide card has secured thereto a metal plate 11 by means of rivets 12 and said late is extended above the upper edge of t e card 10 and bent slightly at its upper edge toward the front of the guide card. The plate 11 extends well down on the body portion of the card 10-s0 that the rivets 12 extend through the body portion of the card'as a result of which the plate is securely held to the card, whether the card is provided with projecting tab 13 or not thus avoidin the danger when the tab is used, of breaking off the tab by re eatedly handling the indexing device.

a sheet of transparent elastic material 15 e upper edge of the card has secured thereto by means of rivets 14.

which may be celluloid or the like and which 1s (g1ven a cylindrical conformation at its m1 -port1on above the ed e of the card to inclose the upper edge of the metal plate, said transparent sheet being of substantial] the wid th of said plate. Said sheet is con ormed so that when not subjected to external force it rests snugly at its mid-portion against the rear side of the upper portlon o the plate 11. An index slip 16 of thin flexible material such as paper and havmg thereon any desired indexing legend is located within the cylindrical portion of the transparent sheet 15 with its rear edge between said sheet and the rear face of the upper portion of the plate 11 as a result of which the spring action of the sheet 15 clamps the slip in place against the rear face of the upper portion of the metal plate. tihel slip isdpreferably of a width such that 1 s ower e ge rests against the up r ed of the card 10 and in this posi ibntfi: slight spring action of the slip causes it to assume a circular conformation within the sheet 15 resting against the inner surface of the mid-portion thereof. The legend on the slip is preferably placed so that it may be best read through the transparent sheet from above and in front of the card 10 when the latter is in substantially vertical position, assuming that the indexing device is employed in connection with a vertical file. For other types of file the same indexing device may be used by properly positioning the le nd on the indexin slip. In any event it will be observef that for any special case as for example using the device in a vertical file the legend may always be placed at the same distance from the lower edge of the indexin slip and brought into a desired line of sig t since the engagement between I the lower edge of the slip and the upper edge of the card 10 places the slip in de nite angular position in the cylindrical portion of the sheet 15.

When it is desired to remove the indexing slip from the device the sheet 15 is pressed rearwardly at its cylindrical portion, or in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3 which moves the rear portion of the upper part of the formed sheet rearwardly in engagement with the rear face of the upper portion of the late 11 thus leaving a clearance between t e sheet and plate and freeing the indexing slip so that the latter may be readily removed 1 from one l from within the cylindrical portion of the sheet. In this manner the indexing slip may be readily inserted and removed from the indexing device. as desired et be securely clamped in gosition in the in exing device when in use. t will be observed that when in use the indexing slip is entirely covered and protected from wear, dirt and injur by the inclosinfisheet and that the metal plate through w ich the rivets 14 extend, reinforces and protects the edge portion of the card 10 so that the tendency to tear the card resulting from .using the 1n dexing device in a file isreduced to a mummum. v

While I have shown in invention in the articular embodiment 0. ve described, I so not however limit myself to this exact construction as I may employ any equ valents thereof known to the art at the time of the filing of this application without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In an indexing device, the com-bm-Y ation of a support, a plate secured to the support and pro ecting from one edge thereof, and a transparent sheet spring. material folded to inc ose the pro ectlng edge of said plate and having ts portions secured to said support, Sgld s by its spring action pressm against the pro ectin; rtion of said p ate to clamp an index se ta ween said sheet and said late when said slip is in position in the fol ed portion of saidsheet. 2. In an indexing device, the combination of a support, a late secured to the support and projecting rom one edge thereof, and a transparent sheet of spring material folded to inclose the projecting edge of said plate and having its edge portions secured to said support, said sheet by spring action pressing against the projecting portion of said plate to clamp an index slip between said sheet and said late when said slip is in position in the olded portion of said sheet, there being aclearance between said plate and said sheet within the folded portion of said sheet adjacent the clamping rtion of said sheet, whereby ressure on said folded portion moves sai clamping portion of said sheet away from said plate to permit the ready insertion and removal of an index slip. x 3. In an indexing device, the combination of a guide card, a metal plate projecting I of said card, fastening devices securing said plate to the body portion of said card, and a sheet of celluloid folded to inclose the projecting edge of said plate, fastening devices extending throughthe edges of and sheet and also through said card and said ilgte to hold the parts together, said sheet ing conformed to rest snugly against against the edge clearance between the edge of the projecting portion of said plate and thefolded portion of said sheet in front of said projecting portiona t\ivhereby pressure rearwardly on" the fol rtion of said sheet separates said sheet rom the rear face of the projectingportion of said plate to permit the ready lnsertion and removal of an index slip within the folded portion of said sheet, the e of said index slip when said slip is in p ace in the folded ortion of the sheet being between the rear ace of said projectin portion and said sheet to securely clamp said slip in place.

4. In an indexing device, the combination of a guide card, a metal plate projecting from one edge of said card, fastening devices securing said plate to the bod ortion of said card, and a sheet of ceflu oid folded to inclose the projecting edge of said plate, fastenin devices extending through the edges of said sheet and also through said card and said plate to hold the U: together, said sheet being conform "to rest snugly against the rear face of the ro'ectmg portion of said plate when el in place by the last named fastening devices, there being a clearance between the edge of theprojectlng portion of said plate an the folded portion of said sheet in front of said projectmg'portion, whereby pressure rearwardly on the folded portion of said sheet separates said sheet from the rear face of the projecting portion of said plate to r-" mit the ready msertion and removal n an index slip within the folded portion of said sheet, the edge of said index slip when said slip is in place in the folded portion of the sheet being between the rear face of said projecting portion and said sheet to securely clamp sald slip in place, said folded portion being of c lindrical conformation and related to sai card to constitute the edge of said card a gage for the positionsurface of the cylindrical portion of sheet.

5. In an indexing device, the combination said of a flat support, a late secured to the support adjacent one s thereof, and a transparent sheet of spring material folded to inclose the edge of said plate and having its ed portions secured to said support, said s set by its spring action pressing portion of said plate to clamp an index slip between saidsheet and said plate when said all is in position in the folded portion of said s set.

6. In an indexing device, the combination of a flat support, a late secured to the support ad acent one thereof, and a transparent sheet of sprin material folded to inclose the edge of sai plate and having its edge portions secured to said support, said sheet by its spring action pressing against the edge portion of said plate to clamp an index slip between said sheet and said plate when said slip is in position in the folded portion of said sheet, there being a clearanre between said plate and said sheet within the folded portion of said sheet adjarent the clamping portion of said sheet, whereby pressure on said folded portion moves said clamping portion of said sheet away from said plate to permit the ready insertion and removal of an index slip.

7. In an indexing device, the combination of a flat support, a metal reinforcing plate secured to the edge ortion of the su ort, and a transparent s eet of material ided to inclose the edge of said plate and having its edge portions secured to said support, the folded portion of said sheet being 0 en and separated from the edge of said p ate and said support to receive within it an index slip.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 26th day of November, A. D. 1918.

CHARLES B. ULRICH. 

